JP2005244279A - Monitoring system, and monitoring apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a monitoring system capable of surely tracing a monitoring object by enhancing the reliability of communication. <P>SOLUTION: The monitoring system 1 uses a plurality of monitoring apparatuses 20 configuring an adhoc network 82 to trace the monitoring object. Each monitoring apparatus 20 monitors the monitoring range and transmits transfer information for taking over the monitoring of the monitoring object 90 to the adhoc network 82, when detecting that the monitoring object 90 leaves the monitoring range. Further, each monitoring apparatus 20 receives the transfer information transmitted from the other monitoring apparatus 20 via the adhoc network 82 and decides whether the monitoring is to be transfer, on the basis of the transfer information. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a monitoring system that tracks a monitoring target using a plurality of monitoring devices.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a monitoring system is known in which a plurality of monitoring cameras are installed in a telephone box, an electric light, and the like to track a moving monitoring target. In this monitoring system, a plurality of monitoring cameras are connected to a monitoring server, and the monitoring server sequentially switches monitoring cameras that capture images of the monitoring target from the plurality of monitoring cameras. As a result, it is possible to monitor a monitoring target in a wide range that cannot be monitored by a single monitoring camera (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-298261 (page 3-4, FIG. 4)

  However, in the conventional monitoring system, a plurality of monitoring cameras are centrally controlled by the monitoring server, and it is necessary to switch the monitoring camera that performs monitoring in accordance with the movement of the monitoring target by the monitoring server. Therefore, if the monitoring server is mistakenly switched by the monitoring server, there is a possibility that the monitoring target may not be tracked. Further, in order to transmit a control signal for switching from the monitoring server to the monitoring camera and to transmit a monitoring image from the monitoring camera to the monitoring server, it is necessary to connect all the monitoring cameras to the monitoring server. Therefore, when the number of monitoring cameras increases, the burden on the monitoring server increases, which may hinder communication between the monitoring server and the monitoring camera, and may not be able to reliably track the monitoring target.

  The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a monitoring system that can reliably track a monitoring target.

  The monitoring system of the present invention is a monitoring system that includes a plurality of monitoring devices constituting a wireless terminal-to-terminal network with a relay function and tracks a moving monitoring target, and each of the monitoring devices monitors a monitoring range. A takeover information generating means for generating takeover information for taking over monitoring of the monitoring target when it is detected that the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range of the monitoring means; and Takeover information sending means for sending to the network between wireless terminals with function, takeover information receiving means for receiving the takeover information sent from another monitoring device via the network between wireless terminals with relay function, and the takeover information receiving means Monitoring control means for operating the takeover information generating means based on the takeover information received at.

  With this configuration, since takeover information for taking over monitoring of a monitoring target is transmitted to surrounding monitoring devices via a wireless inter-terminal network with a relay function, the takeover information is transmitted easily and quickly to a monitoring device that should take over monitoring. The Therefore, the takeover information generating means of the monitoring device to be taken over sequentially operates, and the monitoring target can be tracked by a plurality of monitoring devices. Further, it is not necessary to perform communication between a plurality of monitoring devices and a monitoring server that controls them.

  Further, in the monitoring system of the present invention, each of the monitoring devices acquires monitoring information of the monitoring range, monitoring information acquisition means for transmitting the monitoring information to the network between wireless terminals with a relay function, and Monitoring information transfer means for receiving the monitoring information from another monitoring device and transferring the monitoring information to another monitoring device, and sending the monitoring information sent from the monitoring device via the wireless terminal-equipped network with the relay function An output device having monitoring information receiving means for receiving and monitoring information output means for outputting the monitoring information received by the monitoring information receiving means is provided.

  With this configuration, the monitoring information transmitted within the wireless terminal-equipped network can be output by the output device.

  Furthermore, the monitoring apparatus of the present invention is a monitoring apparatus that configures a wireless terminal-to-terminal network with a relay function together with other monitoring apparatuses, the monitoring means monitoring the monitoring range, and the monitoring target is outside the monitoring range of the monitoring means. A takeover information generating means for generating takeover information for taking over monitoring of the monitoring target when it is detected that it has been sent to the network; and a takeover information sending means for sending the takeover information to the network between wireless terminals with a relay function; The takeover information receiving means for receiving the takeover information transmitted from another monitoring device via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network, and the takeover information based on the takeover information received by the takeover information receiving means. Monitoring control means for operating the generation means.

  With this configuration, the takeover information for taking over the monitoring target is transmitted to the surrounding monitoring devices via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network, so that the takeover information is transmitted easily and quickly to the monitoring device that should take over the monitoring. Therefore, the takeover information generating means of the monitoring device to be taken over sequentially operates, and the monitoring target can be tracked by a plurality of monitoring devices. Further, there is no need to communicate with the monitoring server that controls the monitoring device.

  Furthermore, the monitoring apparatus of the present invention further includes monitoring range information storage means for storing monitoring range information of the monitoring apparatus, wherein the handover information generating means includes movement information indicating the moving direction of the monitoring target and the monitoring range information storage means. The monitoring control unit generates monitoring information including the monitoring range information read from the monitoring information, and the monitoring control unit performs monitoring based on the movement information and the monitoring range information included in the switching information transmitted from another monitoring device. The takeover information generating means is operated when it is determined that it is necessary.

  With this configuration, since the destination of the monitoring target can be specified from the monitoring range information and the movement information, it is possible to determine the monitoring device that should take over monitoring next.

  Furthermore, the monitoring apparatus of the present invention further includes monitoring range information storage means for storing monitoring range information of the monitoring apparatus, wherein the handover information generating means includes movement information indicating the moving direction of the monitoring target and the monitoring range information storage means. The handover information including the monitoring target position information indicating the position of the monitoring target is generated based on the monitoring range information read from the monitoring range information, and the monitoring control unit is included in the handover information transmitted from another monitoring device. Based on the monitoring target position information, the handover information generating means is operated when it is determined that monitoring is necessary.

  With this configuration, it is possible to determine the next monitoring device to take over monitoring based on the monitoring target position information.

  Furthermore, the monitoring apparatus of the present invention further includes monitoring range information storage means for storing monitoring range information of the monitoring apparatus, wherein the handover information generating means includes movement information indicating the moving direction of the monitoring target and the monitoring range information storage means. Based on the monitoring range information read from and the monitoring range of other monitoring devices installed in the vicinity, generating the takeover information including designation information for designating a monitoring device to be taken over, the monitoring control means, The takeover information generating means is operated when designated by the designation information included in the takeover information transmitted from another monitoring device.

  With this configuration, the designated monitoring device can be determined as the monitoring device that should take over monitoring next.

  Furthermore, the monitoring device of the present invention includes a monitoring information acquisition unit that acquires monitoring information of the monitoring range, a monitoring information transmission unit that transmits the monitoring information to the network between wireless terminals with a relay function, and the monitoring information. Monitoring information transfer means for receiving the information from the monitoring device and transferring it to another monitoring device.

  With this configuration, since the monitoring information is transmitted within the wireless terminal-equipped network with the relay function, the monitoring information can be extracted and output.

  Furthermore, in the monitoring apparatus of the present invention, the monitoring information acquisition unit images the monitoring range and generates video information of the monitoring range as the monitoring information.

  With this configuration, the video can be obtained while tracking the monitoring target.

  Furthermore, in the monitoring apparatus of the present invention, the monitoring information acquisition means includes imaging area changing means for changing the imaging area so that the monitoring target is imaged in accordance with the change in the video information.

  With this configuration, video information to be monitored in a wide monitoring range can be obtained with a single monitoring device.

  Furthermore, in the monitoring apparatus of the present invention, the monitoring information acquisition unit senses the monitoring target and generates a detection signal indicating the presence of the monitoring target as the monitoring information.

  With this configuration, the presence of the monitoring target can be grasped using a sensor such as a human sensor, and the capacity of the monitoring target information transmitted in the wireless inter-terminal network with the relay function can be reduced.

  Furthermore, the monitoring system of the present invention is a monitoring system that includes a plurality of monitoring devices that form a wireless inter-terminal network with a relay function and a portable device that is carried by the monitoring target, and that tracks the moving monitoring target. The portable device includes position information acquisition means for acquiring position information indicating a current position, and transmission means for transmitting the position information to the monitoring apparatus via the network between wireless terminals with a relay function. The apparatus is indicated by monitoring means for monitoring a monitoring range, receiving means for receiving the position information from the portable device via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network, and the position information received by the receiving means. Control means for operating the monitoring means when the current position is within the monitoring range.

  With this configuration, it is possible to determine a monitoring device that performs monitoring based on position information. Further, it is not necessary to perform communication between a plurality of monitoring devices and a monitoring server that controls them.

  Furthermore, the monitoring device of the present invention is a monitoring device that configures a wireless inter-terminal network with a relay function together with other monitoring devices, via a monitoring unit that monitors a monitoring range, and the wireless inter-terminal network with the relay function, Receiving means for receiving position information indicating the current position of the portable device from a portable device carried by the monitoring target, and the current position indicated by the position information received by the receiving means is within the monitoring range And control means for operating the monitoring means.

  With this configuration, it is possible to determine a monitoring device that performs monitoring based on position information. Further, it is not necessary to perform communication between a plurality of monitoring devices and a monitoring server that controls them.

  Furthermore, the monitoring method of the present invention is a monitoring method for tracking a moving monitoring object using a plurality of monitoring devices, wherein the first monitoring device monitors the first monitoring range and the monitoring When it is detected that the target has gone out of the first monitoring range, the handover information for taking over the monitoring of the monitoring target is sent to the wireless terminal-equipped network with the relay function; A monitoring device that receives the takeover information sent from the first monitoring device via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network and monitors a second monitoring range based on the takeover information; Contains.

  With this configuration, the takeover information for tracking the monitoring target is transmitted to the surrounding monitoring devices via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network, so the takeover information is easily and quickly transmitted to the monitoring device that should take over the monitoring. . Further, it is not necessary to perform communication between a plurality of monitoring devices and a monitoring server that controls them.

  In the present invention, when each monitoring device constituting a network between wireless terminals with a relay function detects that the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range, the handover information for taking over the monitoring is transmitted between the wireless terminals with the relay function. Since it is sent to the network, it is possible to easily and quickly transmit takeover information to a monitoring device that should take over monitoring, and it is not necessary to communicate with a monitoring server that controls a plurality of monitoring devices. It is possible to provide a monitoring system that has the effect of improving the reliability of communication and tracking the monitoring target more reliably.

  Hereinafter, a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an example in which an ad hoc network is used as a network between wireless terminals with a relay function will be described. An ad hoc network is a network composed of terminals that can be connected wirelessly, and is a network having a relay function in the form of multi-hop communication that connects many terminals to each other.

  FIG. 1 shows a monitoring system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the monitoring system 1 includes an access point device 10 and a plurality of monitoring devices 20a to 20d. In the following description, the monitoring devices 20a to 20d are collectively referred to as the monitoring device 20. The plurality of monitoring devices 20 are installed in street lights, traffic lights, railroad crossings, wooden pillars, concrete pillars, trees, and the like. Each monitoring device 20 has a function of monitoring a predetermined monitoring range. Note that the monitoring range is defined separately from the imaging range captured by the monitoring device 20. For example, a monitoring range may be defined in part of the imaging range, or a monitoring range wider than the imaging range may be defined. When the monitoring range is wider than the imaging range, the monitoring device 20 covers the monitoring range by changing the imaging direction and moving the imaging range. In addition, the monitoring ranges of the monitoring device 20 may overlap with each other or may not overlap.

  The plurality of monitoring devices 20 have a wireless communication function and form an ad hoc network 82 together with the access point device 10. At least one of the plurality of monitoring devices 20 is installed in a range where radio waves reach directly from the access point device 10. An ad hoc network is a network composed of terminals equipped with a relay function. In the case of the present embodiment, the monitoring device 20 has a data relay function to other monitoring devices 20 in addition to the monitoring function of the monitoring target 90, thereby configuring the ad hoc network 82. In FIG. 1, four monitoring devices 20 are shown, but the number of monitoring devices 20 may be more than four.

  The access point device 10 is connected to the monitor device 30 via a network 81 such as the Internet. The monitor device 30 is installed in a monitoring center where a monitor is present.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the monitoring device 20. In FIG. 2, the monitoring device 20 includes an imaging unit 21 that captures an image of the monitoring range, a position detection unit 22 that detects the position of the monitoring device 20 using GPS and generates installation position information, and an imageable range. Is included as a monitoring range, an ad hoc transmission / reception unit 24 for communication with the ad hoc network 82, and a control unit 25 for controlling them.

  The control unit 25 controls the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 24 to communicate with other monitoring devices 20 and the access point device 10. In the control unit 25, the monitoring target detection unit 252 performs processing for detecting the monitoring target from the video obtained by the photographing unit 21. The movement information generation unit 253 obtains the movement direction of the monitoring target detected by the monitoring target detection unit 252 and performs processing for generating movement information. Processing for detection of a monitoring target by the monitoring target detection unit 252 and generation of movement information by the movement information generation unit 253 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a video obtained by shooting of the video unit 21, where (a) is a reference video, (b) and (c) are videos when the monitoring target 90 is within the monitoring range, d) shows an image when the monitoring target goes out of the monitoring range. As shown in FIG. 3A, the monitoring target detection unit 252 stores a still image in the monitoring range when there is no monitoring target, as shown in FIG. When monitoring is started, the monitoring target detection unit 251 compares the video in the monitoring range obtained from the imaging unit 21 with the reference video.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, when the monitoring target 90 appears in the monitoring range, the difference between the video obtained by the photographing unit 21 and the reference video is detected as the monitoring target. Therefore, the monitoring target detection unit 252 detects not only the presence of the monitoring target 90 but also the position of the monitoring target 90 in the imaging region. After the monitoring target is detected by the monitoring target detection unit 252, the movement information generation unit 253 tracks the area where the difference from the reference image occurs (the area where the monitoring target 90 is shown), thereby moving the monitoring target. Is detected. That is, in FIG. 3B, a difference occurs in the upper right of the shooting area, and in FIG. 3C, a difference occurs in the lower left, so that it is possible to detect that the monitoring target has moved from the upper right to the lower left of the shooting area along the road. .

  Thus, once the monitoring target is detected and the video obtained by the photographing unit 21 returns to the reference video as shown in FIG. 3D, the monitoring target detection unit 251 moves the monitoring target. As a result, a process for detecting that the vehicle has gone out of the monitoring range is performed. Then, the movement information generation unit 253 generates movement information to be monitored at this time. The control unit 25 controls the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 24 to perform processing for sending the movement information and the installation position information acquired by the position detection unit 22 to the ad hoc network 82 as takeover information.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the imaging control unit 251 of the control unit 25 determines its own based on the installation position information of the other monitoring devices 20 and the movement information of the monitoring target included in the handover information received by the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 24. Processing is performed to determine whether or not there is a need for monitoring in the monitoring range, that is, whether or not to take over monitoring. Specifically, the imaging control unit 251 determines the position from which the monitoring target has moved in which direction from the installation position information and the movement information included in the takeover information, and obtains the position of the monitoring target. If the position of the monitoring target is included in the own monitoring range stored in the monitoring range storage unit 23 or within a predetermined distance from the monitoring range, the imaging unit 21 and the control unit 25 are operated to start monitoring. To do.

  In addition, the video control unit 251 performs processing of sending the video shot by the shooting unit 21 as monitoring information from the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 24 to the ad hoc network 82. In addition, when the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 24 receives monitoring information from another monitoring device, the control unit 25 performs processing to send the monitoring information from the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 24 to the ad hoc network 82.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the access point apparatus. 4, the access point device 10 includes an ad hoc transmission / reception unit 11 for communicating via the ad hoc network 82, a transmission / reception unit 12 for communicating with the monitoring device 30 via the network 81, and a control unit for controlling these. 13. In the control unit 13, the video transfer unit 131 performs processing for receiving the video information to be monitored via the ad hoc network 82 and transferring it to the monitor device 30.

  The operation of the monitoring system 1 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. A certain monitoring device 20b starts photographing in its own monitoring range (S51), and sends video information to the ad hoc network 82 (S52). When the video information is sent from the monitoring device 20b that has started photographing, the other monitoring devices 20a and 20c in the ad hoc network 82 transfer this video information (S53). When the video information reaches the access point device 10 by this transfer, the video information is transferred from the access point device 10 to the monitor device 30 via the network 81 (S54), and the monitor device 30 displays the video by the received video information. (S55).

  The monitoring device 20b that has started photographing detects the monitoring target by the monitoring target detection unit 252 and then detects that the monitoring target has moved out of the monitoring range (S56). The movement information generation unit 253 monitors the monitoring target. The movement information indicating the movement direction is generated (S57). Then, the monitoring device 20b sends the movement information and the monitoring range information read from the monitoring range storage unit 23 as takeover information to the ad hoc network 82 (S58).

  The other monitoring devices 20a and 20c receive the monitoring range information and the movement information of the monitoring device 20b that has started photographing, and determine whether or not to take over monitoring (S59). The monitoring device 20c that has determined that there is a need for monitoring starts imaging the monitoring range by the imaging unit 21 (S60). Then, the monitoring device 20c that has started shooting sends video information obtained by shooting to the ad hoc network 82 (S61), and the other monitoring devices 20a and 20b transfer this video information (S62). Reaches the access point device 10. The access point device 10 transfers the video information to the monitor device (S63), and the monitor device 30 switches the video information to be displayed to the transmitted video information (S64).

  On the other hand, when the monitoring device 20c that has started taking a picture by taking over monitoring detects the monitoring target by the monitoring target detection unit 252 and then detects that the monitoring target has moved out of the monitoring range (S65), movement information generation is performed. The unit 253 generates movement information indicating the moving direction of the monitoring target (S66), and sends the movement information and the installation position information to the ad hoc network 82 as takeover information (S67). The peripheral monitoring device 20b that has received the takeover information determines whether or not monitoring is necessary based on the takeover information, that is, whether or not to take over the monitoring (S68).

  In this way, the monitoring target can be tracked by switching the monitoring device 20 that transmits the video information obtained by the imaging unit 21 according to the movement of the monitoring target. In addition, since it is not necessary to take over the monitoring to the monitoring device 20 installed so far as the direct radio wave does not reach, in the above example, only the monitoring device 20 that directly receives the radio wave from the monitoring device 20 of the transmission source receives the takeover information. .

  According to the monitoring system 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention as described above, the monitoring target is tracked by transmitting and receiving the takeover information for taking over the monitoring over the ad hoc network, so that a plurality of monitoring devices are used as the monitoring server. There is no need to connect and communicate between a plurality of monitoring devices and a monitoring server for taking over monitoring, improving the reliability of communication for taking over monitoring, and tracking the monitoring target more reliably.

  In the monitoring system 1 of the above-described embodiment, if the monitoring range information is generated based on the information acquired by the position detection unit 22 and stored in the monitoring range storage unit 23, it is newly added to the ad hoc network. Even when a monitoring device is added, there is no need to manually set monitoring range information. In addition, since the monitoring device network is configured in an ad hoc network, it is not necessary to set the monitoring device 20 to be connected to the server device 30. Therefore, even when a monitoring device 20 is newly added, the monitoring system 1 can be constructed without performing any setting on the monitoring device 20.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 6 illustrates a monitoring device included in the monitoring system according to the second embodiment. In the following description, the description of matters overlapping with the above-described embodiment is omitted.

  The monitoring system of the present embodiment is configured similarly to the monitoring system 1 shown in FIG. That is, the monitoring system according to the present embodiment communicates with a plurality of monitoring devices 40 that communicate with each other within the ad hoc network 82, the access point device 10 that forms the ad hoc network 82 together with the plurality of monitoring devices 40, and the access point device. And a monitor device 30 for performing the above.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the monitoring device 40 according to the present embodiment includes a detection unit 41 that detects a monitoring target within a predetermined monitoring range, and a position storage unit that stores installation position information indicating the position of the monitoring device 40. 42, a monitoring range storage unit 43 that stores a range in which a monitoring target can be detected as a monitoring range, an ad hoc transmission / reception unit 44 for communication with the ad hoc network 82, and a control unit 45 that controls them.

  The detection unit 41 includes a plurality of human sensors 411 that detect a person in a predetermined region and output a detection signal. The detection areas of the human sensors 411 are different from each other, and the entire detection areas of the human sensors 411 are the monitoring range of the detection unit 41. In FIG. 6, three human sensors 411 are shown, but the number of human sensors 411 may be more than three.

  The control unit 45 controls the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 44 to perform communication with other monitoring devices 40 and the access point device 10. In the control unit 44, the movement information generation unit 452 performs processing for generating movement information based on the detection signal output from the detection unit 41. That is, when a plurality of detection areas by the plurality of human sensors 411 are continuous in the horizontal direction, the person moves to the right in the horizontal direction according to the order of human detection by the plurality of human sensors 411 and is monitored. It is possible to identify whether the vehicle has moved out of the area or moved to the left side and out of the monitoring range, and movement information indicating movement in any direction is generated.

  The monitoring target position information generation unit 455 generates monitoring target position information indicating the position of the monitoring target based on the installation position information stored in the position storage unit 42 and the position information generated by the movement information generation unit 453. Process. Then, the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 44 sends the monitoring target position information to the ad hoc network 82 as takeover information. Further, the ad hoc transmission / reception unit 44 receives takeover information transmitted from another monitoring device 40 via the ad hoc network 82.

  The detection control unit 451 compares the monitoring target position indicated by the takeover information received from the other monitoring device 40 with its own monitoring range, determines whether or not to take over monitoring, and determines to take over monitoring. Then, the detection unit 41 and the control unit 45 are operated to start monitoring. That is, when the position of the monitoring target is included in the monitoring range stored in the monitoring range storage unit 43 or within a predetermined distance from the monitoring range, the detection control unit 451 performs the detection by the detection unit 41 and the control unit 45. Processing to start monitoring is performed. In addition, the detection control unit 451 performs processing for transmitting the monitoring target detection signal detected by the detection unit 41 to the access point device 10 via the ad hoc network 82. At this time, the detection control unit 451 attaches a monitoring device ID that identifies the monitoring device 40 to the detection signal.

  When the monitoring device 30 according to the present embodiment receives the detection signal to which the monitoring device ID is attached via the access point device 10, the monitoring target is detected by the monitoring device 40 corresponding to the monitoring device ID. Output to indicate

  The operation of the monitoring system configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. In the following description, the monitoring devices 40a to 40c will be used. When a certain monitoring device 40b starts monitoring the monitoring target within its own monitoring range (S71) and any monitoring sensor 411 detects the monitoring target (S72), the monitoring device ID is assigned to the ad hoc network 82. The detected signal is sent out (S73).

  When the detection signal is transmitted from the monitoring device 40b, the other monitoring devices 40a and 40c in the ad hoc network 82 transfer this detection signal (S74). When the detection signal reaches the access point device 10 by this transfer, the access point device 10 transfers the detection signal to the monitor device 30 via the network 81 (S75). When the monitor device 30 receives the detection signal, it outputs that the monitoring target is detected by the monitoring device 40 corresponding to the monitoring device ID attached to the detection signal (S76).

  After detecting the monitoring target by the detection unit 41 of the monitoring device 40b, if any monitoring sensor 411 detects that the monitoring target is not detected, that is, the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range (S77), the movement is detected. The information generation unit 453 generates movement information (S78), and the monitoring target position information generation unit 453 generates monitoring target position information based on the movement information and the position information read from the position storage unit 42 (S79). Then, the monitoring device 40b sends the monitoring target position information to the ad hoc network 82 as takeover information (S80).

  The other monitoring devices 40a and 40c receive the monitoring target position information and determine whether or not to take over monitoring (S81). The monitoring device 40c that has determined to take over monitoring starts monitoring by the detection unit 41 (S82). When one of the human sensors 411 detects a monitoring target (S83), a detection signal with a monitoring device ID is sent to the ad hoc network 82 (S84), and the other monitoring devices 40a and 40b detect this. The signal is transferred (S85), and the detection signal reaches the access point device 10. The access point device 10 transfers the detection signal to the monitor device 30 (S86), and the monitor device 30 switches the output to the monitoring device 40c corresponding to the monitoring device ID attached to the detection signal (S87).

  On the other hand, the monitoring device 40c that has started monitoring by taking over monitoring detects the monitoring target with the human sensor 411, and then detects that the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range (S88). Then, movement information indicating the movement direction of the monitoring target is generated (S89), monitoring target position information is generated based on the movement information (S90), and the monitoring target position information is transmitted to the ad hoc network 82 as takeover information. (S91). The peripheral monitoring device 40b that has received the takeover information determines whether or not monitoring is necessary based on the takeover information, that is, whether or not to take over the monitoring (S92).

  In this way, the monitoring target can be tracked by switching the monitoring device 40 according to the movement of the monitoring target. In this embodiment, since it is not necessary to take over monitoring to a monitoring device 40 installed so far as direct radio waves do not reach, in the above example, only the monitoring device 40 that receives direct radio waves from the monitoring device 40 that is the transmission source. Receives takeover information.

  According to the monitoring system of the second embodiment of the present invention as described above, the monitoring target is tracked by transmitting / receiving the takeover information for taking over the monitoring over the ad hoc network, so that a plurality of monitoring devices are connected to the monitoring server. Thus, there is no need to communicate between a plurality of monitoring devices and the monitoring server for taking over monitoring, and the reliability of communication for taking over monitoring is improved, so that the monitoring target can be tracked more reliably.

  Further, since the detection signal of the human sensor 411 is communicated as monitoring information in the ad hoc network 82, monitoring by the monitor device 30 is possible by communicating information having a relatively small capacity, and the communication load in the ad hoc network 82 is reduced. Can be reduced. Further, since the presence of the monitoring target and the fact that the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range can be determined by the detection signal from the human sensor 411, the monitoring system can be configured with a monitoring device having a simple configuration. Furthermore, since the position of the monitoring device 40 is stored in the position storage unit 42, it is not necessary to have a configuration such as a GPS for detecting the position of the monitoring device 40. In this respect, the monitoring device 40 has a simple configuration. Become.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 8 illustrates a monitoring system according to the third embodiment. In FIG. 8, the monitoring system 3 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of monitoring devices 50a to 50d. In the following description, the monitoring devices 50a to 50d are collectively referred to as the monitoring device 50. Unlike the first and second embodiments, the monitoring system 3 includes a plurality of monitoring devices 50.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the monitoring device 50 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 9, the description of the same configuration as that of the first embodiment is omitted. The monitoring device 50 includes a photographing unit 51, an ad hoc transmission / reception unit 54, and a control unit 55, as in the first embodiment. The monitoring device 50 further includes an imaging region changing unit 56 that changes an imaging region by the imaging unit 51 by pan / tilt operation, an other monitoring range storage unit 57 that stores a monitoring range of another monitoring device 50, and an imaging unit 51. The video recording unit 58 for recording the video captured in step 1 on a recording medium.

  In the control unit 54, the shooting control unit 551 controls the shooting area changing unit 56 so that the monitoring target is shot by the shooting unit 51 based on the movement information generated by the movement information generation unit 553. Processing for panning or tilting the unit 51 is performed. In the present embodiment, the maximum range that can be imaged by changing the imaging region by pan / tilt of the imaging unit 51 is the monitoring range of the monitoring device 50. Then, the monitoring target detection unit 552 performs processing for detecting that the monitoring target has gone out of the monitoring range when the monitoring target cannot be captured by the pan / tilt operation of the imaging unit 51 due to the movement of the monitoring target. Do.

  In the control unit 55, the designation information generation unit 556 includes the own monitoring range stored in advance and the movement information when the monitoring target goes out of the monitoring range, and other monitoring devices stored in the other monitoring range storage unit 57. Based on the monitoring range, the specification information for specifying the monitoring device that should take over monitoring next is generated and sent to the ad hoc network 82.

  About the monitoring system 3 comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement is demonstrated using FIG. When a certain monitoring device 50b starts photographing and recording in its own monitoring range (S101), the monitoring target detection unit 552 detects the monitoring target, and then detects that the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range ( In step S102, the movement information generation unit 553 generates movement information indicating the movement direction of the monitoring target (S103). Based on the movement information, the designation information generation unit 556 generates designation information (S104), and sends the designation information to the ad hoc network 82 as takeover information (S105).

  The other monitoring devices 50a and 50c receive the designation information and determine whether or not they are designated (S106). The designated monitoring device 50c starts photographing the monitoring range and recording the video by the photographing unit 51 (S107). Then, when the monitoring target is detected by the monitoring target detection unit 552 and then it is detected that the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range (S108), the movement information generation unit 553 generates movement information (S109). Further, the designation information generation unit 544 generates designation information (S110), and sends this designation information as takeover information to the ad hoc network 82 (S111). The peripheral monitoring device 50b that has received the takeover information determines whether or not it is designated based on the takeover information (S112).

  According to the monitoring system 3 of the third embodiment of the present invention as described above, the monitoring target is tracked by transmitting / receiving the takeover information for taking over the monitoring over the ad hoc network, so that a plurality of monitoring devices can be used as the monitoring server. There is no need to connect and communicate between multiple monitoring devices and monitoring servers to take over monitoring, improve the reliability of information communication for taking over monitoring, and track the monitoring target more reliably. .

  In addition, since a plurality of monitoring devices 50 constitute an ad hoc network 82 and perform communication for taking over monitoring in the ad hoc network, and each of the monitoring devices records a captured video, an access point device and a monitoring device are included. The monitoring system can be constructed with a simple configuration. By collecting the recording medium on which the video is recorded from each monitoring device 50, a video tracking the monitoring target can be obtained.

  Furthermore, since the monitoring device 50 includes the imaging region changing unit 56 and changes the imaging region by the imaging unit 51 in response to the movement of the monitoring target, the video of the monitoring target in a wide range can be displayed by the single monitoring device 50. can get.

  In the above description, the shooting unit 21 is used in the first embodiment, and the shooting unit 51 is used in the third embodiment, and the shooting video is based on the difference between the reference video and the shooting video. However, the method of detecting the monitoring target from the captured video is not limited to this. For example, the monitoring target detection unit stores in advance as a feature image indicating the characteristics of the monitoring target, and detects a specific monitoring target by image processing for searching for the feature image from images in the monitoring range obtained by the photographing unit. Also good. According to this method, even when there are a plurality of objects moving to the monitoring range, it is possible to determine which object is the monitoring target, and to detect the monitoring target more accurately.

  In the above description, in the second embodiment, the monitoring device 40 specifies the position of the monitoring target based on the installation position information and the movement information. However, when the installation position information is fixed, the monitoring information 40 and the movement information are monitored. A correspondence relationship with the target position information may be stored in advance, and the monitoring target position information may be obtained from the movement information using the correspondence relationship. Similarly, in the third embodiment, when the position of each monitoring device 50 is fixed, the corresponding relationship between the movement information and the designation information is stored in advance in each monitoring device 50, and the corresponding relationship The designation information may be obtained from the movement information using.

  In the first and third embodiments, the monitoring unit is configured by the photographing unit and the control unit, and in the second embodiment, the monitoring unit is configured by the detection unit and the control unit. The configurations are compatible with each other. That is, in the monitoring device of the first or third embodiment, the detection unit and the control unit may constitute a monitoring unit, or the detection unit of the second embodiment may be replaced with an imaging unit.

  In addition, in order to acquire information on the installation position of the monitoring device, a position detection unit is provided in the first embodiment, and a position information storage unit is provided in the second embodiment. Means for doing so are also interchangeable. Note that, in the case of the third embodiment, there is provided another monitoring range storage unit that stores information indicating the monitoring range of other monitoring devices, and designation information for specifying the monitoring device that should take over monitoring next is generated. Therefore, each monitoring device does not need to acquire its own position.

  Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the access point device 10 is provided in the ad hoc network 82, the monitoring information is transmitted from the access point device 10 to the monitor device 30, and the monitor device 30 obtains the monitoring information output. In the third embodiment, the monitoring video is stored in each monitoring device and the monitoring information is not communicated in the third embodiment. However, the overall configuration of these monitoring systems is also the first and second embodiments. And the third embodiment can be interchanged. That is, the monitoring device of the first and second embodiments may be provided with means for recording monitoring information on a recording medium, and the system may not include the access point device 10 and the monitoring device 30, or the third embodiment. Instead of including the video recording unit 58, the access point device 10 and the monitor device 30 may be added to the monitoring system.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a monitoring system according to the fourth embodiment of this invention. In FIG. 4, the monitoring system 4 includes a portable device 70 that is carried by the monitoring target 90 in addition to the same configuration as that of the first embodiment.

  FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the portable device 70 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 12, the portable device 70 detects the position of the portable device 70 and generates monitoring target position information indicating the position of the monitoring target, and the monitoring target position information generated by the position detecting unit 71. And a control unit 73 for controlling them. The configuration of the position detection unit 71 is the same as that of the position detection unit 22 of the first embodiment. Further, the transmission unit 72 transmits the monitoring target position information by multicast without designating a specific monitoring device 60 as a transmission destination.

  FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the monitoring device 60 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 13, the monitoring device 60 includes an image capturing unit 61 that captures an image of the monitoring range, a monitoring range storage unit 63 that stores the imageable range as a monitoring range, and ad hoc transmission / reception for communication via the ad hoc network 82. Unit 64, receiving unit 69 that receives position information from portable device 70, and control unit 65 that controls these.

  The configuration of the imaging unit 61 is the same as that of the first embodiment. In the control unit 65, when the receiving unit 69 receives the position information from the portable device 70, the shooting control unit 651 performs a process of determining whether to start shooting by the shooting unit 61 based on the position information. The monitoring device 60 stores the monitoring range of the monitoring device 60 for this processing. When the position indicated by the position information received from the mobile device 70 is within the monitoring range or within a predetermined distance from the monitoring range, the shooting control unit 651 performs a process of operating the shooting unit 61 to start monitoring. .

  The operation of the monitoring device 60 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. When the monitoring device 60 receives the monitoring target position information from the portable device 70 (S141), the imaging control unit 651 determines from the monitoring target position information whether the monitoring target is within its own monitoring range or within a predetermined distance from the monitoring range. Judgment is made (S142). When the monitoring target is not within the monitoring range and within the predetermined distance from the monitoring version (NO in S142), the process is terminated, and when within the monitoring range and within the predetermined distance from the monitoring range (in S142) YES), the imaging unit 61 captures the monitoring range, and sends the video information to the ad hoc network 82 (S143). Then, the process returns to S142, and images are continuously captured and transmitted until the monitoring target is separated from the monitoring range of the monitoring device 60 by a predetermined distance or more.

  Since the monitoring system 4 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention also transmits and receives monitoring information through an ad hoc network, there is no need to communicate a plurality of monitoring devices with the monitoring server. The monitoring system can be constructed with a simple configuration, the reliability of communication for taking over monitoring is improved, and the monitoring target can be grasped more reliably.

  As described above, in the monitoring system according to the present invention, when each monitoring device configuring the ad hoc network detects that the monitoring target has moved out of the monitoring range, the monitoring information is transferred to the ad hoc network. Therefore, there is no need to connect multiple monitoring devices to the monitoring server and communicate with the monitoring server to take over monitoring, improving communication reliability and tracking the monitoring target more reliably. It is effective as a crime prevention system for tracking a suspicious person or the like.

The figure which shows the monitoring system in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The block diagram of the monitoring apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the example of an image image | photographed with the imaging | photography part in the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the access point apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The flowchart for operation | movement description of the monitoring system in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The block diagram of the monitoring apparatus in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention The flowchart for operation | movement description of the monitoring system in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the monitoring system in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the monitoring apparatus of the 3rd Embodiment of this invention The flowchart for operation | movement description of the monitoring system in the 3rd Embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the monitoring system in the 4th Embodiment of this invention The block diagram of the portable apparatus in the 4th Embodiment of this invention The block diagram of the monitoring apparatus in the 4th Embodiment of this invention The flowchart for operation | movement description of the monitoring apparatus in the 4th Embodiment of this invention

Explanation of symbols

1, 2, 3, 4 Monitoring system 10 Access point device 20, 40, 50, 60 Monitoring device 21, 51, 61 Shooting unit 24, 44, 54, 64 Ad hoc transmission / reception unit 30 Monitor device 70 Portable device 253, 453, 553 Movement information generation unit 455 Monitoring target position information generation unit 556 Designated information generation unit

Claims (13)

A monitoring system comprising a plurality of monitoring devices constituting a network between wireless terminals with a relay function, and tracking a moving monitoring target, wherein each of the monitoring devices is
Monitoring means for monitoring the monitoring range;
Takeover information generating means for generating takeover information for taking over the monitoring of the monitoring target when it is detected that the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range of the monitoring means;
Takeover information sending means for sending the takeover information to the network between wireless terminals with relay function;
Takeover information receiving means for receiving the takeover information transmitted from another monitoring device via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network;
Monitoring control means for operating the takeover information generating means based on the takeover information received by the takeover information receiving means;
A monitoring system characterized by comprising: Each of the monitoring devices includes monitoring information acquisition means for acquiring monitoring information of the monitoring range, monitoring information transmission means for transmitting the monitoring information to the network between wireless terminals with a relay function, and the monitoring information to other monitoring devices Monitoring information transfer means for receiving from and further transferring to other monitoring devices,
Monitoring information receiving means for receiving the monitoring information sent from the monitoring device via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network; and monitoring information output means for outputting the monitoring information received by the monitoring information receiving means. The monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising an output device. A monitoring device that configures a wireless inter-terminal network with a relay function together with other monitoring devices,
Monitoring means for monitoring the monitoring range;
Takeover information generating means for generating takeover information for taking over monitoring of the monitoring target when it is detected that the monitoring target is out of the monitoring range of the monitoring means;
Takeover information sending means for sending the takeover information to the network between wireless terminals with relay function;
Takeover information receiving means for receiving the takeover information transmitted from another monitoring device via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network;
Monitoring control means for operating the takeover information generating means based on the takeover information received by the takeover information receiving means;
A monitoring device comprising: Comprising monitoring range information storage means for storing monitoring range information of the monitoring device;
The takeover information generating means generates the takeover information including movement information indicating a moving direction of the monitoring target and monitoring range information read from the monitoring range information storage means,
The monitoring control means operates the takeover information generating means when it is determined that monitoring is necessary based on the movement information and the monitoring range information included in the takeover information transmitted from another monitoring device. The monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: Comprising monitoring range information storage means for storing monitoring range information of the monitoring device;
The handover information generating means includes the handover information including monitoring target position information indicating the position of the monitoring target based on movement information indicating the moving direction of the monitoring target and monitoring range information read from the monitoring range information storage means. Produces
The monitoring control means operates the takeover information generating means when it is determined that monitoring is necessary based on the monitoring target position information included in the takeover information transmitted from another monitoring device. The monitoring device according to claim 3. Comprising monitoring range information storage means for storing monitoring range information of the monitoring device;
The takeover information generation means performs monitoring based on movement information indicating the movement direction of the monitoring target, monitoring range information read from the monitoring range information storage means, and monitoring ranges of other monitoring devices installed in the vicinity. Generating the takeover information including designation information designating a monitoring device to be taken over;
The monitoring control unit according to claim 3, wherein the monitoring control unit operates the takeover information generation unit when designated by the designation information included in the takeover information transmitted from another monitoring device. apparatus. Monitoring information acquisition means for acquiring monitoring information of the monitoring range;
Monitoring information sending means for sending the monitoring information to the wireless terminal-equipped network with the relay function;
Monitoring information transfer means for receiving the monitoring information from another monitoring device and transferring it to another monitoring device; and
The monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:   The monitoring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the monitoring information acquisition unit photographs the monitoring range and generates video information of the monitoring range as the monitoring information.   The monitoring apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the monitoring information acquisition unit includes a shooting region changing unit that changes a shooting region so that the monitoring target is shot according to a change in the video information.   The monitoring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the monitoring information acquisition unit detects the monitoring target and generates a detection signal indicating the presence of the monitoring target as the monitoring information. A monitoring system that includes a plurality of monitoring devices constituting a network between wireless terminals with a relay function and a portable device carried by the monitoring target, and that tracks the monitoring target that moves
The portable device includes position information acquisition means for acquiring position information indicating a current position, and transmission means for transmitting the position information to the monitoring apparatus via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network,
The monitoring device includes: a monitoring unit that monitors a monitoring range; a receiving unit that receives the position information from the portable device via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network; and the position information received by the receiving unit. Control means for operating the monitoring means when the indicated current position is within the monitoring range;
A monitoring system characterized by comprising: A monitoring device that configures a wireless inter-terminal network with a relay function together with other monitoring devices,
Monitoring means for monitoring the monitoring range;
Receiving means for receiving position information indicating a current position of the portable device from a portable device carried by a monitoring target via the wireless terminal-equipped wireless terminal network;
Control means for operating the monitoring means when the current position indicated by the position information received by the receiving means is within the monitoring range;
A monitoring device comprising: A monitoring method for tracking a moving monitoring target using a plurality of monitoring devices,
In the first monitoring device, the first monitoring range is monitored, and when it is detected that the monitoring target is out of the first monitoring range, the handover is performed to take over monitoring of the monitoring target. Sending information to the wireless terminal-equipped network with the relay function;
The second monitoring device receives the takeover information transmitted from the first monitoring device via the wireless terminal-equipped network with the relay function, and monitors a second monitoring range based on the takeover information. And steps to
The monitoring method characterized by including.

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